Switch



*De 6, w49 R. F. KNEisLEY v 2,490,523

SWITCH Filed Oct. 3, 1946 m5- ew II w I IN VEN TOR.

M BY QW Qa.,

Patented 6,

.UNlTao STATES PA'r'aNr oFFlcE y' j mf". alcmranxneumrdeaorohhApplication 3, lm, Sill N0. 700,847

. l 'I'his invention relates to a` rotary eletric switch of the typeused to make and break electrical circuits in which 4the current f'lowis relatively great.

The primary object `of the invention is to pro.

somm. ci zoov a contact ring Il.

y tending from the contact proper.

ranged for the reception of a suitable circuit, as well as one that maybe ganged with similar umts to operate a great multiplicity of circuits.Still another object of the invention is to provide a rotary electricswitch in which the actuating shaft is always electrically neutral andin 2 are shown. moed equally around the common 'I'he number anddisposition of the movable contacts may, of course, vary widely. Y Eachmovable contact 2l comprises a metallic portion, shown in Fig. 6,including a contact face 22 of considerable area, -an outer cylindricalguide portion 24 andan inner extension 26 ex- 4 The outer guide portion2| may bedrilled' or otherwise arconnecting member such as a bindingscrew 28. The contact face 22 is made large since it is required towithstand repeated opening and closing movements while carryingrelatively great quantities of current Being massive it is better abletorest the effects of repeated arcing.

'5 Inner extension 2l of each movable contact forms the core .of aninsulated guide and cam follower stem 3l which reciprocates in guidewhich the contacts themselves are housed so that4 20 I6 formed in thecommon contact ring accidental closing .of a circuit is eifectivelyprevented.` f

Other objects andradvantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following specilication, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view,

' with parts in full, of a switch embodying the present invention; Fig.2 is a plan 'view of the operating parts with a cover plate removed:Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the man-- ner in whichthe switch housing lelements nt around a contacter; Figs. 4 and 5 areperspective views of modiiied forms ofoperating cams; Fig. 6 is aperspective view ofthe metallic portion of a contacter, prior toassembly; Fig. '7 is a perspective view of a suitable common contact;and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the switch housing l halves.

Referring to the drawings, the switch embot- Each movable contact isbiased to circuit -closing position by a spring '32 bearing against theouter face cf the contact proper.

A housing Il is provided for the operating elements of the switch, andincludes two identical therefrom near its periphery. The flange. 3l isformed with a series-of spaced guide grooves 4l for the reception of theouter extensions of the several movable contacts. Enlarged bosses l2 are'formed at intervals around the ilange 38 and are bored to receive boltsor other fastening elements 40 the connecting stem ing the presentinvention comprises a stationary common contact ring I l which is madeheavy in crosssection so that it will withstand long and hard use. Thecontact ring I l preferably is cy- 444' cam is formed of an insulatingmaterial so that,

'the contact ring Il to form guide openings il for stems I 8 of movablecontacts 2l. In the present instance'eight of the movable contacts 2l Mby which the two housing halves are heldtogether.V When mated, the twohalves provide completeguide ways for the reciprocating movablecontacts; and an opening 46 through which or post I I protrudes.

An operating cam Il carried byjan operating -shaft Ulis disposed withinthe center of the common contact ring I l in the path of reciprocationof all of the movable contacts 20. The

even though shaft 52 is metal, the shaft is electrically neutral. Shaft52 is iournalled in central holes M in the housing halves and pref- Thus56 il and with one or more cut away portions C2.

' its biasing spring :z. In the-,form shown in Fig. 2,

the circuits associatedwith the movable contacts` 20 are thus closedsuccessively. one at a' time.

The switch is thus a singlepole, eight position device. I! it-is'desired to lc1o se "two contacts 415 what I claim is:

1.- In a' switch or described-aniosulating housing having a. cylindricalinterior in which switch parts are disposed, a plurality o! radiallymovable contacts-'reciprocable in said housing, a commoncontactringinsaid housing and having a smaller diameterg'than'saidhousing and associated with aulo: sai' "notable-contacts whereby acircuit is closed h'rouglifany movat a timamaking` a doublepole.' fourposition switch, it is necessary to change the con' figuration oftheoperating cam. to the form shown in Fig..5. As there indicated, thecut away iiats .62a andlZb are each o! suiiicient depth so that facingVmovable contacts are permitted to engage the central common contactring. Similarly, double pole, double throw` two position switch maybeprovided by a cam in which four of the movablel contacts close at eachindexing movement, as shown in Fig. 4.

' In operation, once the switch is assembled and connected toappropriate electrical circuits, it is.

only necessary for the operator to turn knob 56 to rotate lcam ill tomake his selection oi' the various, circuits to be closed. The switchyhas a snap-action "feel" since the multiplicity of springs actingagainst the cam 50 tend to center it with respect to the several movablecontacts. Thus proper indexing is assured and it is not pos- 'sible forthe 'switching 'cam Vto remain in an intermediate position with allcontacts open..

Whilethe invention has been' described in connection with a particularform and disposition of the parts, it should be expressly understoodthat the description is of a preferred embodiment for purposes ofillustration. .Various modifications and changes will suggest themselvesto thosevskilled in the art, and such modications and changes may bemade without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

able contact and said :cominonycontact ring, rotatable operating cami'nfthlajthoi! reciprocation of all of said movable'` ontacts, surfacesformed on said cam suchthjat -said movable contacts can engagethejcoinmonfcontact only in selected'cam positions, biasingv saidvmovable contacts toward circuitlcl'osing position, an operating shaftfor saidv carni passing axially through said housing, and 'connectingmeans on the outside of said housing t-,which circuit connections may bemade to said contact ring and to each of said movable contacts'.

2. A switch in accordance with claim lin'which said housing is formed of.m'fatedfhalves `and is provided with guide means l tot determine the`path of reciprocatlon of said rl'lncvable contacts.

3. A switch in accordance with claim l in which each of saidmovableoontacts iii-(earned by a BEFEBENQES CITED The followingreferences are'of; record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES Number Name Y. l, *Date 1,498,293 Poirson -June 17, 19241,721,420 Sturner July 16, 1929 2,395,572

Mener et al v. Feb. 26; 1946

